The essential guide to men's ties

A tie is the first thing
people notice — make sure you get it right.Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Go ahead and throw on a tie.

Feel the difference?

It's a small thing, but small things are the point.

When you're sporting a tie, you can pretty much stroll in
anywhere you want; it's like an Admirals Club card that you wear
on the outside.

Whether you're suiting up for the office or laying out a look for
the evening, a tie allows you to pull together the disparate
elements of your wardrobe with a touch of texture or
complementary color.

If you learn to do it correctly—balance the width of the tie
against your lapels and shirt collar, find a knot that fits your
face—you'll have dressing right all tied up.

A tie is the first thing people notice

"Nice tie!" That's always
what people say. Their eyes can't help but go there.

So while you do want a tie that looks great all on its own,
remember, it shouldn't be a novelty piece.

It's meant to speak to the rest of your outfit, not stand apart
from or clash with it.

Length matters...

Whether you're six feet four or five feet six, the tip of the tie
should hit right at your beltline— not three inches below it, not
two inches above it. That is, unless you're doing the whole
short-suit thing. And then, yes, let the tie hang tight above the
navel.It should be narrow— but
not superskinny.Getty
Images/Frazer Harrison

...And so does width

At GQ, we like a narrow— but not superskinny—tie, about two and a
quarter to two and three-quarter inches at its widest point.

Much wider than that and you start to look like a congressman.

This thinner width works both at the office and on the town,
syncing up with any modern-cut suit.

Your knot shouldn't resemble a giant dorito

Do you want a knot the size of a P'Zone, like Stuart Scott on
ESPN? No, you don't. So go ahead and ignore the half Windsor, the
Prince Albert, the Super-duper Double Elliott, and all those
other knots you find in sartorial guidebooks.

You really need to know only one knot—the four-in-hand. It's
neither too big nor too small nor too perfectly triangular. It's
natural and elegant, and it works with every collar, from a
spread to a point. Learn it, never forget it, always use it.

Love your dimple: the secret tie weapon

"Yes, a snugly knotted tie will look perfectly fine without one,"
says GQ senior fashion editor Lisa Cohen. "But the dimple's the
finishing touch that pulls it all together. We consider it
essential." Here's how to take your look from passable to
polished.

1. When you're almost done tying your tie, press your thumb
against your index finger just beneath the knot, so the fabric
forms a crease.

2. Pull down the narrow end of the tie to tighten the dimple, and
slide up the knot.

3. Finesse either side of the dimple to accentuate the fold and
set it in place.

• And get the shirt right. A washed and worn oxford is your
easiest option. But if you do go with a pressed shirt, keep it
understated. Avoid those Euro ones with the stiff oversize
collars; there's nothing easy and relaxed about them.

No more big, fat, wide ties!

The man who rebirthed the skinny tie makes his case

"A skinnier tie just feels of-the-moment right now. It's not too
mainstream and not too traditional. And there's less material, so
there's less potential for a color or pattern to feel garish or
offensive. Plus, the way people dress is cyclical. What's
rebellion and what's conformity flip-flop back and forth. For a
long time, rebellion was a T-shirt and a trucker hat. Then,
suddenly, that mess became conformity, and dressing up a little
bit became a way to differentiate yourself. Take the Mad Men era:
Back then, looking really fantastic was the way to conform, and
rebellion was the beatnik in the T-shirt. And then it just flips.
So right now, a well-tailored suit and skinny tie is cool. Right
now, that's the mark of an individual."—Scott Sternberg,
designer, Band of Outsiders